is spoken by about 50%. It is also used in some Pakistani cities
such as Karachi and Hyderabad. in the
Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA).pashto II
Lesson 1
Introduction
Pashto is an Iranian language of the IndoEuropean family. and it is not taught in the schools. many Dari
speakers do not have a good command of Pashto.
. it is one of the two official languages. However. most
Pashtuns also speak Dari. There are over 17 million speakers
of Pashto. primarily in Afghanistan and Pakistan. is
not an official language in Pakistan (Urdu is the offical
language). and in
Balochistan. Dari is used primarily in
business and higher education.
and it is the native tongue of approximately 35% of
the population.
Pashto is spoken as a regional language by about
17% of the population of Pakistan. The other official language. In
Afghanistan. As a result. Dari
(Persian). however. It is spoken in the
Northwest Frontier Province (Pakhtoonkhwa). Although Pashto
is an official language of Afghanistan and a required
subject in middle school. Pashto.

as spoken in Kabul and Jalalabad
(Afghanistan) and in the Northwest Frontier
Province (Pakistan). This
course teaches the northern dialect as spoken in Kabul. or Pushtu. The major Pashto-speaking cities are Kabul.
Pushto. the three
primary ones are:
1.
Pashto is also called Pakhto.as spoken in Kandahar (Afganistan)
and Balochistan (western Pakistan and eastern
Iran).
2. Pashtu. Kandahar. speakers of the northern dialect say
2
. Tajikistan.
3. Peshawar.
These three dialects are mutually intelligible.pashto II
Introduction (continued)
Smaller communities of speakers can be found in
Northeast Iran. Northern .
which will be understood throughout all Pashtospeaking regions.
Athough Pashto has many dialects. and Quetta. and the United Arab
Emirates. Pukhto. Southern .as spoken in Wazirstan (northern
Pakistan). Central . India.
Jalalabad. The variation
in spelling reflects the different pronunciations in
different regions.

Pashto uses a modified version of the Arabic
alphabet. which uses the /sh/ and
/zh/ sounds. as opposed to twenty-eight in
Arabic.” This demonstrates the primary difference
between the southern dialect. and the northern dialect.
“Pashto. with forty-six letters (some alphabet charts
will list forty-five). the script was standardized to include
additional letters representing sounds specific to
Pashto. which uses the
/kh/ and /gh/ sounds instead. The central dialect is
more similar in pronunciation to the southern dialect. vocabulary differs somewhat. In the 18th and again in the
20th century. The first written records of Pashto date back
to the 16th century.
however. Written
Pashto has the following characteristics:
3
. but does
use an adapted form of Western punctuation.” while speakers of the southern dialect say.pashto II
Introduction (continued)
“Pakhto. Pashto does not have capital letters.

• Some letters also modify their shape according to
their position in a word – depending on whether
they appear in initial. except for numbers. two.pashto II
Introduction (continued)
• It is read from right to left. called “non-connectors.often appearing in transliteration as
“aa.are separate letters and
are written.
• The appearance of some letters may vary.
• When letters connect to a preceding letter. some
letters.” “oo.
4
. by the lack of dots. the so-called "short
vowels" --.represented by diacritical marks --are usually omitted. undergoing a reduction
when the two are joined together. medial.
• In standard written Pashto. (which are placed above or below the
letter) or. The three “long vowels.
which go from left to right.” connect only to
letters that precede them. or final position.
• Pashto letters are distinguished by one.
• As in English handwriting. or
three dots. in some cases.
depending on the choice of font. most Pashto letters
connect to those that follow them. However.”
however --. they
often modify their shape.” and “ee” --.

5
.
The Readings consist of twenty lessons that will
provide practice reading words.
colors.
The twenty Pashto reading lessons are recorded at
the end of the program. and short
sentences using familiar vocabulary as well as new
vocabulary regarding useful topics such as food. as all the information you need to do
the readings is contained on the audio. In these reading lessons. and more. but we recommend that you wait to read
them until after you’ve read the items.
Remember to always read aloud. the “short vowel”
diacritics will be included for unfamiliar words. shopping. sounding
them out. travel.pashto II
Introduction (continued)
The Pashto II Readings are based on the
assumption that you have already done the Readings
in Pashto I and are familiar with the sounds of the
Pashto alphabet. A complete listing of the Pashto
alphabet and the diacritics follows. communication. This chart is for
reference only. The
process of saying the words out loud will reinforce
your Pashto language acquisition. as directed. Translations are
provided. phrases. Feel free to repeat the reading
lessons as often as necessary for practice with the
Pashto alphabet and the sounds the letters represent.

10
. It is shown as a horizontal
line above a consonant and makes a schwa sound.)
Diacritic
َِ
ُ
ٓ
ٔ
Name
Spelling
zwar (above letter)
‫زور‬
zer (below letter)
‫زیر‬
pekh (above letter)
‫ښ‬
mad (only above initial alef)
‫َمد‬
hamza (only in combination with waw and he)
‫حمزه‬
There is another diacritic.
called lam alef la.pashto II
Diacritics
(Read from right to left. called zwarakay.‫ال‬.
In Pashto there is a special letter combination. which represents the letter lam
followed by alef. which
is rarely used in Pakhto.

My sister came yesterday afternoon.
6.
4.
I will go on vacation on Thursday.
12.
My brother will come on Tuesday.
19.
15
.
In a few weeks I will go on vacation.
I do not work on Friday.
The fall weather is very cool.
15.pashto II
Lesson Two
One .
10.
In the winter it is cold.
17.
20.
9.
11.
13.Translations
1.
2.
There’s a meeting on Saturday.
In the summer the weather is very hot.
7.
I came on Wednesday.
8.
A year is a long time.
This morning I bought a newspaper.
Tonight I will go to a restaurant.
16.
5.
On Sunday I will meet with a friend.
What day is today?
The shops are open this evening.
I have an appointment tomorrow morning
with someone.
18.
14.
I like the spring.
Tomorrow is a holiday.
On Monday I go to work.
3.

My brother is older.pashto II
One . Tomorrow I will go shopping. I will see my friend there.
18
.
12.
15. A gift for my wife and my daughter. I have a sister and a brother. I live in Boston now..
10.. I will go to the bazaar . Later today I will eat at the Khyber Pass.
6. I will buy two scarves.
17. A red scarf for my wife and . He has one son and one daughter.
7. My sister is younger..
8.
18. My brother has two children.
19. But my family lives in Kabul.
4. I came to Kabul last week.
9.Translations
Lesson Three
. I will eat polao there. the blue scarf for my daughter.
3. Afghan food is very good.
16.Translations
1.
11. because I want to buy a gift..
5.
20.
14. And maybe a book about Afghanistan.
13.
2.

voice mail
9. What is your home phone number?
7. Do you have a computer?
11. I want to make a phone call.Translations
1.
13.
16.
8.
24
. I need to charge my cell phone.pashto II
Lesson One
Five .
18. An email message has come. I want to connect my laptop. Goodbye.
5. website / online
19. Do you have email?
15.
2. I want to check my email. Did you leave a message?
10.
17. I have need of a new cell phone. My cell phone is not working. How do I get on the internet?
14. What is your cell phone number?
3.
4. Where is an internet cafe?
20. The internet is not working.
6. Have a good one. I want to send an email.
12. I lost my cell phone.

Where can I find a taxi?
5. At what time is your flight?
17. The flight is late.
27
.
19..
6.-Translations
Translations
1. How much is the fare?
7.
2. I am going to Peshawar by plane.. Turn to the right..
15. Go straight ahead and . I want to go to the airport . I have two suitcases. We cannot go on foot.pashto II
Lesson Six
One. three hours early.
11. taxi / bus / train
4.. Have a safe trip!
9..
18. I want to go to the bazaar. My car is black.
12.
3. at the white building . When will the bus leave?
8.
13.
20. turn to the left. Where is the Khosha Restaurant?
10.
14. Where is the airport?
16..

a hat.
3. (Can also be used to say. “It
is not raining.
The sky is blue.
13.
6.
19.
It’s very humid.Translations
..
Today it will rain.
How will the weather be?
The weather will be nice.
20.
11.pashto II
Lesson Seven
One .
Today it snowed.”)
It’s very hot.
14.
The sun is shining.
It’s a beautiful day today. and gloves.
12.
4.
I need a warm coat.
It’s very windy and cold.
These days it’s very cold.Translations
1..
I will go to the park.
30
.
I need an umbrella.
I will go swimming.
8.
15.
16.
17.
I will go to the museum.
boots.
9.
10.
18.
5.
It’s very cold in our village.
I like the summer weather.
Today is cloudy. .
2.
7.

18.
8... Where does your brother work?
7. my father-in-law live in Jalalabad. My brother works at the hospital.
14. My husband is at work.
9.
20.
19.
15.
13. My uncle’s son is a doctor.. Where do you come from?
4. We have a son and daughter. My sister lives in Peshawar.pashto II
Lesson Eight
One . will visit next week. My sister-in-law is younger than my wife. My grandmother and grandfather .
12. live with my parents.-Translations
Translations
1.
17.
11. My uncle and my aunt . My mother-in-law and . My name is Aman.
3.
10. My nephew studies in America.
16..
5.
6. What is your name?
2. My niece lives at home. My brother-in-law works at the college..
33
.. My mother and father live in Kabul.

I have an appointment to see .
Do you know what time it is?
It’s half past seven o’clock.
9..
18.
The shops are open until how long?
The shops will open at nine o’clock .
15..
10.
12.pashto II
Lesson Nine
One -.
19.
20.
14..
I from morning nine until evening .
5.Translations
Translations
1..
3.
and close at six o’clock in the evening.
2.
8.
I go to sleep at ten o’clock at night.
Sometimes they close for lunch.
6.)
I have lunch at twelve o’clock.
7.
I wake up at six o’clock in the morning.
What time is the meeting?
From six o’clock until eight o’clock. how about seven o’clock?
36
..
Do you want to have dinner at six o’clock?
No.
Sunrise is at half past five o’clock in morning.
4.
11.
17.
13.
16. (I work from nine in the
morning until five o’clock in the evening.
The museum will open at eleven o’clock.
Sunset is at half past eight o’clock..
five o’clock work.
the doctor at quarter past two o’clock.

4..)
before
He school .
16.
11.Translations
..
18.
front
in front of (the) bank
on the way
On the way there was a lot of traffic.
3.
ate.
5.
under
newspaper
The book is under the newspaper. (He ate breakfast before
school.
15.
9.
8.
7.
13.
14.pashto II
Lesson Eleven
One .Translations
1.
6.
19.
17.
This is in Pashto.
behind
The boy is behind the house.
before ate breakfast.
during
He drinks tea during the meeting.
after
He after work .
10.
12. (He ate after work..
2.
42
.
20.)
walks down
He walks down the street..

2. grapes.pashto II
Lesson Twelve
One .
20.
17..
16.
mangoes.Translations
..
4.
cucumbers..
oranges. bananas.)
What kind of food can I buy?
In the right season you can buy .
sweaters.
3..
What is the best tea I can buy?
What kind of tea do you drink?
What can I buy at the bazaar?
Almost everything .
11.
13.
8. potatoes.
for shopping?
excellent markets
There are many very excellent markets
in Kabul. and more.
carrots.
10.
books also can buy.
15.
12.
t-shirts.
5.
Where is a good market .
canteloupe.
9.
and scarves.
You new and old ..
18.
14. (You can also buy new
and old books.Translations
1..
45
.
19..
6..
7.

7.
5. (But in the book are many
pictures.
10.
19.pashto II
Lesson Thirteen
One .
2.
Maybe I will look .
Then in that case.
I want to buy this book.
It has two hundred pages.
This is a good book..
in another shop..
How about one hundred and fifty?
But in the book many .
8.
How about one hundred and thirty afghanis?
No.
One hundred and sixty afghanis.
14..
13.Translations
1.
That’s too much.
In rupees what price does this have?
One hundred and fifty. give me .
4. at this cannot be gotten.)
Give me one hundred and seventy afghanis..
15.
Please do give me two hundred afghanis.
17.
18.
All right.
3.
12.
What price does this have?
This has a price of two hundred afghanis.Translations
.
9..
20.
48
.. here are one hundred sixty afghanis.
6.
pictures are.
16.
11.

I study English (the subject) . I will work at a bank.
2. I will become be a teacher. music
9.
11. Sometimes I ride a bicycle. languages
8. history
7.
64
. biology
6. I go to college. I have to go to the post office.. I am a student. Friday is a holiday.
18.
15.
16.Translations
.
19. Maybe one day .Translations
1. There are many students in my college. We read many books.
13.
4.. for the government.
17. in an office.pashto II
Lesson Nineteen
One .. English (the language)
10.
14. We recite poetry. After school.
12.
20.
3.. chemistry
5.

67
.
2.
13.Translations
.
9.
10.
11.
Happy New Year!
hospitality
Thanks for your hospitality. No.
Do you have any service for me? (respectful
way to offer help or show concern)
20.
May you both have a prosperous life!
A gift for both of you!
mosque
Can I enter the mosque?
Now how is your mood?
Now I am fine.
19.
3.
17.
How’s your family?
prosperous
healthy
May you be prosperous and healthy.
12.
8. thanks.
18.
5.
14.
7. thanks brother! May you be prosperous.
15.
16.
6.pashto II
Lesson Twenty
One .Translations
1.
I want to invite you for eating.
congratulations
wedding
Congratulations on your wedding!
Thank you for attending.
4.

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.